


Darling, So It Goes

by asuitcasecalledlouis



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Awesome Darcy Lewis, Because I can, Because I love these people with all my heart and they are ALL still alive, Clint Barton & Darcy Lewis Friendship, Darcy Lewis & Steve Rogers Friendship, Darcy Lewis-centric, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, The tropiest of all tropes, WinterShock - Freeform, fake wedding date, thank you very much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27183895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asuitcasecalledlouis/pseuds/asuitcasecalledlouis
Summary: When Darcy Lewis invents a long term boyfriend at her cousin's engagement party, she doesn't expect said pretend boyfriend to suddenly be invited to the wedding. Turning to her friends for help, the solution comes in the unexpected (yet glorious) form of Bucky Barnes.Cue ALL the fake wedding date tropes.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis
Comments: 129
Kudos: 416





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello wonderful, delightful readers!  
> It's been a while.  
> This has been sitting, 80% complete, for quite literally three and a half years. So I thought I would take the plunge and maybe, just maybe, that will force me to finish the final chapter.  
> It's already longer than my dissertation, so be warned. Hopefully it's a bit funnier than my dissertation, though.  
> As always, these characters are not my intellectual property and I don't own them, however much I wish I did!

Darcy watched the other women in the circle with barely concealed boredom. She was at her cousin Steffie’s bridal shower, and was surrounded by Steffie-clones – all petite, blonde, southern belles who _seemed_ perfectly mannered but were actually well-moisturised she-devils. One of the clones was waxing lyrical about her so-called perfect boyfriend and the so-called disaster that had ruined their “perfect” anniversary dinner.  
“…and then we had to ask the hostess to switch tables, ‘cause the game was on and Chase couldn’t see from where they’d put us. Of course they were too busy to help us out, so he missed the last quarter, poor guy.”

The woman seemed so genuinely sorry for the ‘poor guy’ that Darcy couldn’t help it.  
“He’s a keeper,” Darcy snorted as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, hoping to play a few rounds of Solitaire before someone noticed and she had to be involved in the conversation again.

Unfortunately, nothing had ever gotten past the bat-like ears of Steffie. When they were younger, Steffie had never failed to rat on Darcy whenever she cussed, yet always managed to escape punishment herself. With a simpering smirk, Steffie zeroed in on her cousin. Darcy felt her stare and hesitantly looked up from her phone screen.  
“Not that you’d know anything about keepers, huh Darce?” Steffie smiled, eyes sharp.

Darcy felt herself flush as all the women in the circle turned to stare at her. Steffie sat opposite, and when Darcy met her gaze, Steffie narrowed her perfectly lined eyes, waiting for her response.

Darcy didn’t blink. Two can play at that game.  
“And how would you know that, dear cousin?” Darcy retorted. “When was the last time you visited me in New York? Oh that’s right – you never have.”  
Steffie raised an eyebrow.  
“Are you saying you have a man hidden away up there?”  
“Well, he’s hardly _hidden_ ,” Darcy replied, only half regretting digging herself into a hole. It wasn’t as if…  
“Then you must bring him to the wedding, Darcy,” Steffie gushed, then paused to smirk at her cousin. “I insist.”

_Fuck._

***

When Darcy returned to work a couple of days later, she relayed this whole story to Jane, multiple times. Eventually, Jane got sick of Darcy’s fretting and sent her out of the lab. Darcy found Clint, who got bored after the description of the clones and handed her off to Steve when he happened to walk past. Steve, being Steve, patiently sat and listened to Darcy pore over every detail of the conversation.

“So, basically, I’m screwed. I invented a long-term boyfriend and I now have to produce him at the wedding in a _month._ Any bright ideas would be welcomed, Cap,” Darcy hugged a sofa cushion closer to her chest and looked balefully over at Steve, sprawled on a beanbag.

“That is a tricky one, Darce,” Steve began. “But not impossible.”

Darcy sat up straighter.  
“I’m listening, Rogers.”

“How good of an actor are you?” Steve raised an eyebrow at her.  
“Do you remember when Sam forced you to watch the Star Wars prequels even though I told him not to?” Darcy scrunched her nose and Steve winced.  
“Okay then, Plan B,” he nodded.

“What was Plan A?” Darcy asked, intrigued.  
“Hire someone to pretend to be your fella,” Steve shrugged. “But that would involve you also getting involved in the whole ‘acting’ thing.”  
Darcy shuddered.  
“Yeah, I already prefer Plan B. Which is…?”

Steve grinned.  
“You pretend you’re dating someone you know. You can be nice and vague, you’ll already know all sorts about them and it won’t be real uncomfortable for you.”  
“Steve, babycakes, I love you but that’s a horrendous idea,” Darcy gave him a blank stare.  
“You got a better one, Lewis?” Steve smirked, and Darcy groaned.

“Okay, _say_ I agreed to this plan… Who could I take? My parents already know Thor’s dating Jane, Tony and Pepper are in an extremely high profile relationship, Bruce gets uncomfortable in intense social situations, Sam would just lecture me about lying being bad for my psyche or something, NOBODY will buy you and me as a couple-”  
“Why not?”  
“Because, Cap, despite your beautifully chiselled features and ass that I can, and do, bounce quarters off-”  
“I am very aware.”  
“-you are not my type. And my whole family knows it. Besides, I may have told my Mom about you and Sam.”  
“Why?” Steve wasn’t offended. Just genuinely curious.

“I dunno, she grew up with about a billion brothers who all idolised the Howling Commandos, I guess she wanted to check that you were happy,” Darcy shrugged and Steve felt a little warm glow in his chest that bloomed as a blush on his neck.

“What about Barton?” Steve said after composing himself.  
“Clint would sooner carve his own eyes out with a spoon than attend the wedding of a debutante.”  
Steve could not disagree with that one.

“I’d say Nat, but I already specified _‘he’_ to Steffie and the pastel bitches, and nothing gets past them,” Darcy mused. Steve sighed, mentally crossing Maria off his ever diminishing list, before having an epiphany.

“Bucky’ll do it,” he blurted.

“What now?” Darcy squeaked. “Bucky Barnes? _Your_ Bucky Barnes?”  
“Potentially _your_ Bucky Barnes if you play your cards right,” Steve winked and it was Darcy’s turn to flush red.

“Rogers, what makes you think that your ol’ pal would be willing to attend an incredibly frilly, incredibly pretentious, incredibly _insane_ family wedding with me, all the while pretending to be madly in love with all a’ this?”  
Steve shrugged.  
“The jerk’s bored. Keeps moping around my apartment. Fury won’t let him on missions, he doesn’t like to go out alone and he’s downright surly to everyone so has no social life inside this joint.”

Darcy considered this.

“So you reckon he’d do it? Just like that?”

Steve shifted on his beanbag.

“Well, no… I reckon if you buttered him up with your trademark Darcy-charm and a little’a that baking you do, he’d come running,” Steve said, eyes sparkling (but realistically, when didn’t they?).

Sighing, Darcy sat back into the cushion nest she’d created. On one hand, this idea was terrible and impossible and all-over terrifying. On the other hand, she liked Bucky. He was quiet and sweet but sassy as hell when he wanted to be, not to mention the whole face/body/voice thing he had going on. And if she could get him on side, Steffie and the clones would _seethe_ with envy when she showed up with Bucky-goddamn-Barnes in tow. Oh god, Darcy was imagining him in a tux…

_Too far, Lewis. Snap out of it._

Darcy looked over at Steve, who was regarding her with an amused expression.

“Let’s get Soldier-boy on board then, shall we Cap?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay Chapter One!  
> Fourteen chapters was a total guess, but I'm hoping daily uploads (work craziness permitting - I work long hours) until it's complete. That's sustainable, right?  
> *laughs uncertainly*


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still haven't written a word of the last chapter, but please enjoy Chapter Two... in which we meet Bucky!

Bucky Barnes was surprisingly easy to persuade.

Darcy and Steve had agreed that Steve should be the one to broach the idea to his friend, largely because he saw Bucky the most frequently. Bucky was lounging on the sofa reading a battered paperback when Steve entered, steeling himself to ask the favour.

Steve sat down on a fancy vintage armchair that Tony had bought him, likely thinking it a witty play on his age. Joke’s on Stark, the thing was ridiculously comfortable. As Steve settled himself, he glanced up and met Bucky’s eyes.

“Spit it out would ya, Rogers? I’m tryna read here,” Bucky said, gesturing with the book. Steve noted it was a beaten up copy of _The Princess Bride._ Steve frowned. That wasn’t his.  
Coming out of his reverie, Steve cleared his throat, gaining himself an eye roll from Bucky.

“You just gonna sit there all day?”  
“I actually have a small thing to ask you,” Steve said, shifting in his seat.  
“Oh yeah? What?” the other man replied, putting his book down.  
“How would you feel about pretending to be Darcy’s fake date to a family wedding?” Steve blurted out, stumbling over his words.  
“Darcy? Darcy Lewis?” the soldier asked.  
Steve nodded.

Bucky shrugged. “Sure.”

Steve was a bit taken aback.  
“That’s it? You don’t want any details?”  
“Well, Stevie, I just assumed the details would come after. Boy did I guess wrong!” Bucky snarked back.  
Steve looked around for something to fling at his best friend. With nothing to hand, he settled for flipping him off instead.  
“You’re an asshole, know that Barnes?”  
“Yup,” Bucky grinned. “So gimme those details you were harkin’ on about.”

Steve filled Bucky in on the whole story.  
“So that’s why we decided Darcy should take someone she knows. Less chance of being exposed.”  
“And why me?” Bucky enquired, thoughtfully.  
“I suggested it,” Steve said, hesitantly. “I know you hate bein’ cooped up in here all the time. Besides, I think I’ve seen you interact almost personably with Lewis once or twice, figured it shouldn’t be too hard for you to act charming for her family.”

It was Bucky’s turn to swear now, but that was interrupted by a subtle pinging noise from the ceiling. Jarvis, being the gentleman he was, always made sure to make the two men aware of his presence – nobody needed a super-soldier freaking out at 2am.  
“Excuse me, Captain, Sergeant. I have Miss Lewis wishing to speak with you both,” the AI announced after a brief pause.  
“Alright, Jarvis. Thank you,” called Steve, loudly. Try as he might, Steve was used to the shit speakers and audio receivers from way back when. Darcy called him ‘everyone’s mom’ when it came to how he used the phone. The first time Clint had prank called him, he had shouted ‘hello’ so deafeningly into the phone that the archer had almost fallen out of the vent he was hiding in. Super-soldier volume combined with hearing aids certainly had not done Barton any favours.

Darcy’s face appeared on the TV screen, and the two men turned to look. Darcy grinned and waved.  
“Greetings, earthlings! Cap, did you ask him yet?”  
Steve opened his mouth to respond, but this was clearly not fast enough for Darcy.  
“Barnes, did he ask you yet?”  
“I did Darce!” Steve found his voice. “And he said he’d do it!”  
Bucky glared at Steve for stealing his thunder as Darcy crowed with delight. Just as the two men registered the echo, Darcy flung the door open and bounded into the room.

“Bucky Barnes, you are a national treasure,” she announced, saluting him.  
Bucky smirked at her.  
“So I’ve been told.”  
Darcy grinned in return and flopped down on the sofa next to Bucky. She pointed at the book that lay abandoned in his lap.  
“How’s S. Morgenstern treating you?” she asked.  
“As well as a pretend author can,” Bucky shrugged, eliciting a pout from Darcy.  
“Aw man, I was hoping you’d try and write a letter to the publisher,” she sighed, shooting Bucky a look of pretend exasperation. He just smiled and began reading again. Darcy rolled her eyes at him.

Steve watched their exchange with interest. Maybe convincing Darcy’s family of their relationship wouldn’t be so hard after all?

**

The key, Natasha had said, to any successful con is preparation. Specifically for a pretend relationship, the preparation could be confined to three easy stages: personal information, body language and external evidence.

Because of this, Darcy deigned it necessary to learn anything and everything she could about Bucky in order to convincingly pretend he was her long-term boyfriend. He was happy to oblige, and was equally happy to let her fill him in about everything he should know about her. However, even he balked at the mention of Darcy Lewis’s Top 100.

“Top _100_? The fuck Darce? What’s wrong with plain ol’ 10?” he protested.  
Darcy rolled her eyes.  
“The Top 100 is a long established part of the criteria when it comes to me, Buckaroo. I make a _lot_ of pop culture references. I’ve always said that the person I end up with has to have read, seen or listened to at least 50% of the Top 100.”  
“Darcy, we have three weeks left,” Bucky pointed out. “I just think it’s a bit unnecessary.”  
Darcy huffed and walked off, indicating over her shoulder for him to follow. With a sigh, he did.

They rounded the corner into Jane’s lab and located her on the floor surrounded by what looked like napkins covered in squiggles of red pen. She looked up as Darcy’s shadow fell over her work.  
“Darcy, oh good, I-” she began, but Darcy interrupted.  
“Janey, no time for science,” Darcy announced, ignoring the frown that appeared on Jane’s face. “Do you, or do you not, think that my family would buy Barnes here as my boyfriend?”

Jane scrambled up off the floor and assessed Bucky from head to toe, her scientific eye not missing a detail. Bucky squirmed under her gaze, which amused Darcy to no end. Finally, she stopped her scrutinising, leaving Bucky feeling naked but relieved the ordeal was over. Jane paused for a while before answering Darcy’s initial question.

“Physically, yes. He is your type. They may struggle with the obvious difference in your gym attendance levels-”  
Bucky gave a surprised bark of laughter whilst Darcy scowled at her best friend. Traitor.  
“-but whatever. Personality wise, you seem to get along. You make her laugh, Barnes?” Jane asked sharply. Bucky swallowed, the grin falling from his face abruptly.  
“Um…”  
“Yes,” Darcy answered quickly. “Continue.”  
Bucky glanced sideways at Darcy, who was very deliberately staring straight ahead.

Jane nodded.  
“Okay…” she considered something. “How far into the Top 100 is he?”  
Darcy turned to Bucky, who was groaning.  
“HA HA!” she crowed. “Unnecessary my ass.”  
Darcy glanced back to thank Jane for her input, about to apologise for inwardly calling her a traitor, but the other woman was already immersed back into her equations so Darcy let her be, ushering Bucky out ahead of her. Once they were out of the lab, Darcy looked up at Bucky, who still had the slightly shell-shocked, yet annoyed, look of somebody who just lost a battle of wills.

“So, Buck. Have you ever heard of Studio Ghibli?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for listening, folks!


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO guess who finished the last chapter?!  
> That's right, it's ya favourite suitcase herself!  
> In celebration, have chapter three. I'm barely restraining myself from posting the whole thing in one go but patience, dear friends, is a virtue. Or so I'm told.  
> Enjoy!

The next step they had to work on was a little trickier. Understandably, Bucky did not do well with being touched without warning.

“Sorry Darce,” Bucky sighed, running a hand over his face, cursing HYDRA for everything they’d done to him. Bucky and Darcy had been trying for a few days, with Darcy touching his arm when he wasn’t expecting it and gauging the reaction. So far, he’d jerked away as if scalded every time, the most recent attempt being no exception. They were in the kitchen with a few other members of the team. Darcy was making tacos and the room was filling up gradually. Darcy gave Bucky a soft smile, trying to pull him out of the pit of self-blame.

“Never apologise for that, Barnes. We’ll just have to come up with a creative solution. Hey, maybe we can be like Chuck and Ned the Piemaker!” Darcy exclaimed excitedly.  
“Am I supposed to know who these people are?” Bucky drawled, and Clint snorted from across the room. Darcy rolled her eyes, which was becoming a far more frequent action than she cared to admit.

“Pushing Daisies, we’ll bump that one up the Top 100. Anyway, they are a couple, SUPER in love, but they can’t ever touch or she’ll go back to being dead,” Darcy explained, but Bucky still looked confused. Darcy realised her mistake. “Oh right, Ned can bring things back from the dead with one touch, but another touch means that thing is dead again forever. And Chuck was murdered by a crazy person then un-deaded. By Ned. Who also makes pies.”  
At Bucky’s bemused expression, Darcy scrunched up her face.  
“Oh forget about it, we just need to watch it, the explanations are a lot clearer, I swear,” she nodded seriously.

“Did you have a point, doll?” Bucky was still grinning broadly, amusement mixed with something Darcy couldn’t quite place dancing in his eyes.  
“Fuck off, Barnes. You got the point,” Darcy scowled.  
“So we just never touch?” he raised an eyebrow.  
“That won’t work,” Barton called from his beanbag. Darcy and Bucky turned to glare at the archer, who raised his hands in surrender.  
“I’m just saying, nobody will buy it if you don’t touch each other.”  
“Why not?” Darcy retorted, arms crossing over her chest.  
Clint let out an exaggerated groan.  
“Have you met you, Darce? You’re like that baby panda who just wants the keeper to play. Or like a super cuddly octopus.”  
“Cuddlepuss,” Natasha said from next to the refrigerator. Darcy jumped out of her skin. Where the fuck had she come from?  
“Yeah, cuddlepuss. Basically, too touchy-feely to be in a relationship with no touching,” Clint finished, looking smug.

Darcy looked at Natasha, who was twisting the cap of her extremely green smoothie thoughtfully.  
“What about if he touches you first? You’re more used to unanticipated physical contact,” the Black Widow mused. Darcy glanced at Bucky, who shrugged.  
“Couldn’t hurt to try it, doll,” he said. Darcy just nodded, her stomach taking unexpected acrobatics lessons.  
They stared at each other for a while before Clint yelled from across the room again.

“Ugh, you people are morons,” he bemoaned, earning himself a scowl from Bucky and a spoon thrown at his head, courtesy of Darcy. He caught it and chucked it back, Bucky plucking it out of the air before it could make contact with anybody.

Clint rolled his eyes.

“What I was _going_ to say was that if you just stand there stroking each other’s hands then it’ll be really fucking creepy. Just go about your business as you would normally, let your movements be natural. Incorporate the couple-y stuff into your usual routine, not the other way around.”

Darcy raised her eyebrows at the surprisingly useful advice from the notoriously sardonic archer, before remembering that he was actually an incredibly successful spy. Go figure.

Darcy did as told, and continued preparing the tacos. When Bucky’s arm brushed against hers a few minutes later, she tried to hide the fact her whole body tensed. Bucky didn’t buy it and quirked an eyebrow at her questioningly. She shook her head and smiled in return, desperately hoping he understood, hoping he wouldn’t call the whole thing off because she was uncomfortable. Doubt shone in his eyes, but he let it slide. Good. Darcy could do this. It was just _Bucky._

The next time he touched her, she was ready. His hand slid against hers and she hooked her pinky finger around his. If he was surprised, it didn’t show. He simply glanced down at their joined digits and the corner of his mouth lifted into a half smile. Darcy nodded. She _could_ do this.

From then on, it was much easier. Simple touches, like a hand in the small of her back when she walked ahead of him, became the norm. Bucky often draped an arm over her shoulder when they were sitting on the sofa (Darcy noticed he always tried to move so it was never the metal arm touching her, so she started making a concerted effort to always sit on his left side. Metal, schmetal. It didn’t bother her one jot and she wanted him to know it).

Soon, when they were in the same vicinity, they were touching more often than not. It was still always Bucky who initiated contact, but he had gotten into the habit of seeking her out when she was even remotely close by; reaching out a hand if she was behind him, touching their knees at the dinner table… Darcy often wondered whether he was making up for the human contact he had missed during his time with HYDRA. She didn’t mind whatsoever. Bucky was helping her out big time, she was glad to be able to return the favour, and she genuinely enjoyed his company. So much so that she sometimes forgot the whole thing was a pretence, that it was all for the sake of tricking Steffie. It didn’t help that Bucky was so goddamn _good_ at the pretending…


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaand it's day THREE and I already almost missed one of the daily updates I promised. Lucky for you, I don't seem to care about nonsense like "sleep hygiene" and "being well rested".  
> Chapter 4. Here goes.

In the age of social media, the external evidence aspect of their ruse had to be treated carefully. Darcy managed to drop subtle hints about Bucky into her various social media accounts, without posting anything out of the ordinary. A second coffee cup in the background of her Instagram post here, his laugh from off camera in a story there. Occasionally she even went as far as including an arm or foot in a photograph. When Nat gave a nod of approval when Darcy proudly showed off her handiwork, it only spurred her on to post more content, with more indirect Bucky Barnes references in. Screw her seventh grade English teacher. Darcy could be understated when she wanted to.

Clint Barton, however, possessed no such desires. For a former assassin, he had all the subtlety of a neon wrecking ball (and was proud of it). One day he walked in on Darcy and Bucky curled up, asleep, on the sofa together. Darcy was mostly sitting on the soldier’s lap, her head tucked under his chin and his formidable metal arm gently slung around her waist with his hand resting lightly on her hip. Clint noticed how peaceful Bucky’s usually tense face was, and how Darcy’s fingers curled into the man’s shirt and decided he had had enough of the pair of them. Snapping a quick photo, he uploaded it to Twitter with the caption “Winter Snuggler” and a sick-face emoji.

There. That ought to speed the process up a bit.

The first Darcy heard of Clint’s interfering was a few hours later when her phone starting blowing up with messages from various family members demanding to know “more details” and “why in the hell she didn’t tell them sooner”. She unlocked her phone with a frown, trying to decipher what was going on. Helpfully, one of her aunts had attached a link to a gossip site, which Darcy clicked on and promptly groaned at the headline and subsequent article (if you could call that tabloid garbage an ‘article’).

_HERE IN YOUR (METAL) ARMS!_   
_A candid snap from Twitter’s favourite Avenger (HAWKeye, geddit? Birds? Tweeting?) posted earlier today seems to show the Winter Soldier, AKA former Howling Commando AKA Captain America’s BFF Bucky Barnes cuddling up to his new (and SECRET) boo! The unnamed brunette and the cyborg-hero were caught dozing on each other (couple goals much) in what appears to be a communal living room. Clearly this lucky lady is not bothered by Barnes’ terrifying death arm, but who would be when his sleepy-face is so adorable?!_

_UPDATE:  
We’ve had a whole load of tweets from our eagle-eyed readers, pointing out that the previously unknown brunette actually has a name! Turns out our one-armed hottie is snuggling with someone well known to ALL the Avengers. Drumroll please…  
The mysterious woman, named as Darcy Lewis, works with Tony Stark and Jane Foster, girlfriend of the intergalactic studmuffin himself, Thor! Ms Lewis has been seen on multiple occasions out and about with Foster and, as our Insta-detectives were happy to point out, has actually been in Avengers’ group pics before! Twitter user @avngrstrash even dug up a snapchat from Tony “Iron Man” Stark a couple weeks ago that has our two lovers flirting hard in the background. Good work, girl!_

_As for our happy couple, we’ve yet to see cold hard evidence of this relationship on their respective social media accounts, but now the cat is well and truly out of the bag, we expect to see more PDA in the near future! Stay tuned!_

Darcy overcame her initial shock very quickly, and set off to find (and possibly castrate) Clint. Deciding she was probably going to have more luck locating Barton if he didn’t know she was aware of what he’d done, Darcy resorted to a spot of subterfuge.

“Jarv, let everyone know I’m making cookies and taking requests please,” Darcy said to the ceiling as she entered the kitchen.  
“Certainly, Miss Lewis,” the AI replied. Darcy got the feeling that he knew exactly what she was up to.

As expected, Barton entered the kitchen not five minutes later. Taking in the bare sides, cold oven and glare on Darcy’s face, he groaned.  
“ _Fuck_.”  
“Hello, bird-brain,” Darcy said calmly. “I take it you know why you’re here?”  
“Yeah,” he responded, glumly. “But I didn’t think you’d turn to _this_ kind of betrayal just because of one photo.”  
Darcy rolled her eyes before laying into him.  
“I was doing so well on my own, Barton! I was going to show up at that wedding and surprise the _shit_ out of everyone! And you _ruined_ it! You big… ruiner!”  
“I’m sorry, Darce!” Clint threw up his arms in defeat. “It just felt like nothing was happening!”  
“So you got bored and threw a wrench in my plan?”  
“No,” Clint sighed, exasperated and mildly worried about whether he was ever getting out of the hole he’d dug himself here. “That’s not what I meant to do at all. You were very good at not being too obvious, Lewis, but I think you might have gone too far in the other direction.”  
Darcy frowned.  
“Elaborate.”

Clint scrubbed a hand over his face and pulled out his phone. After a few clicks he was through to Darcy’s Instagram. He handed it over to her and began to explain.  
“What I’m saying is that you were being _too_ subtle. Like, nobody would have noticed anything different and you’d have shown up and nobody would have believed you. Not unless they did a _lot_ of digging.”

Darcy frowned again, scrolling through Clint’s phone. He had a point. Obviously she knew what she was trying to do but without _knowing_ she was supposedly in a relationship, there was nothing on her feed that suggested anything was different from what it had been for the past few years.  
“Shit,” Darcy stated, slumping onto the counter in defeat. She didn’t bother telling Barton he was right. He knew. “Why did Natasha give me a nod of approval then?”  
“Because Nat is the actual Queen of Subtlety and can pluck subtext out of thin air.”

“No arguments there,” sighed Darcy before looking back over at the archer. “So what do I do? There’s less than a week left until the wedding!”  
Clint snorted.  
“Be you, Lewis. No need for any of that subtle bullcrap anymore. Add the Darcy-flair you’ve been dying to chuck all over the internet since this whole charade began.”  
Darcy grinned.

In the following hours, Darcy noted a dramatic increase in the number of people who followed her online, all dying to confirm her and Bucky’s relationship no doubt. Well, if that’s what the people wanted, that’s what the people were going to get.

The day after Clint’s dramatic reveal, Darcy posted a photo of herself kissing a grinning Bucky’s cheek, simply to prove that the time for restraint was over. After that, he was everywhere. She took artsy photos of him sitting opposite her in coffee shops, introduced the world to the pure joy of Bucky Barnes with ridiculous filters (to her utter delight he quickly became obsessed with it) and obviously posted as many selfies of the two of them as she could persuade him to take. The back catalogue of couple-y photos she had taken to show family at the wedding proved to be worth its weight in cloud storage. A personal favourite post of Darcy’s was from the day Stark’s state of the art mixer had broken mid-meringue making session and she had roped in Bucky and his arm to whisk for her (like hell was she doing that herself). A quick Boomerang of an extremely bored looking Barnes standing at the counter whisking, with the caption ‘Got me a new standing mixer’ made Darcy laugh to herself for hours afterwards.


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five!!  
> Sorry this is a very short chapter, but more happens very soon so it kind of made sense to split it this way? I'm hoping my fourteen chapters still works, I have a vague idea for an epilogue should it be needed!  
> Happy reading!  
> PS If anyone is in the UK and just watched Bake Off and is also craving steamed buns let me know. I'll dream of bao tonight for sure.

Before Darcy knew what had hit her, it was Friday. Steffie’s wedding was the following day and she and Bucky had prepped as much as they could. Pepper had offered the Stark jet, which Darcy had initially refused due to the environmental impact. After Pepper had pointed out that a) it was Stark tech (and thus completely environmentally friendly) and b) Bucky hated crowded spaces, she had relented. Not to mention c) A PRIVATE JET. It amazed Darcy that even after years of Tony and Jane and actual Gods, she could still get excited about things like flying in a slightly smaller, infinitely fancier, aeroplane.

The flight down to Georgia was a couple of hours, giving Darcy and Bucky time to rest and prepare mentally for the coming weekend (Darcy did put a couple of episodes of Gilmore Girls on for a while, much to Bucky’s delight. He was really getting in to the Top 100). Despite the distractions, Darcy noted Bucky’s behaviour during the flight.  
“You’re annoyingly calm,” Darcy announced when they were descending into Savannah. “You’re supposed to be nervous.”  
“Surely it’s best if one of us keeps our head, doll,” Bucky drawled, causing Darcy to scowl.  
“My head’s all present and correct actually, soldier,” Darcy frowned at him. “How is my family going to be convinced that we’re together if you’re not even _slightly_ anxious about meeting them or bothered about what they’ll think or-”  
“Darcy,” Bucky interrupted her, reaching across the tiny aisle between them and taking her hand in his. “We’re gonna be fine. I want them to like me, I swear. I just find it hard to be worried when I’m around you.”  
He gave her a lopsided smile as he released her hand, but continued to look at her thoughtfully.  
Darcy swallowed as her brain went momentarily offline. _Where the hell had that come from?  
_ “Listen, Darce,” Bucky began, but before Darcy could hear what he was going to say next, the plane bumped down onto the asphalt and the roar of the engines in reverse thrust drowned out his words and her own flustered thoughts.

The car Pepper had arranged for them (Darcy could only dream of one day being as organised as Pepper Potts) was a simple black SUV to anyone not looking too closely. Upon further inspection (which of course Bucky carried out), the whole car, tyres and all, was bulletproof. The windows were tinted so dark that Darcy felt like she could be in one of those procedural dramas about the FBI or CIA or whatever. It was _awesome_.  
Once Bucky had completed his insanely thorough check of the vehicle, Darcy was allowed to clamber inside and play with all the buttons and controls. ‘Allowed’ might have been pushing it, especially given Bucky’s glare when she turned his seat heater on by accident. After that she kept her hands to herself.

The drive out to the estate where the wedding would be taking place was a beautiful one, especially after they had left the city. Despite the heat, Darcy rolled her window down and breathed in the fresh, late afternoon scent of magnolia and aster, tinged with salt as they neared the ocean. She felt Bucky glance over at her every so often. Darcy grinned to herself as she imagined him rolling his eyes behind her back, pissed that she was letting the cool air out. She rolled the window up as they neared the gated estate, bringing herself back into the moment and turning to Bucky.

“How are you feeling, Barnes? Ready to lie to a whole bunch of my relatives?” Darcy asked, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice with a smile.  
Bucky took her hand again.  
“I was born for this, doll,” he smirked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as they rolled to a stop in front of imposing gates.

“Okay,” Darcy breathed, stomach flopping as the gates opened. “We can do this.”

_I can do this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to anyone in Georgia, I have never been and I literally googled what it smells like and what trees are there so inaccuracies are BOUND to be rife in this. If it actually smells like, idk, roses and birthday cake all the time let me know and I can make the necessary adjustments.


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SIX!  
> Actually had to get out of bed to post this because I nearly (read: absolutely) forgot. Whoops.

Darcy and Bucky had been greeted at the door by an extremely efficient valet, who had unloaded them and their luggage in approximately four seconds. Their bags had been promptly whisked away by a porter and exchanged for room keys. It was only then that they had finally seen somebody related to Darcy. As they stood chatting (and by ‘they’, Darcy meant herself, with Bucky nodding occasionally), Darcy spotted a figure across the room and stiffened.

_Fuck.  
I can’t do this._

“I’m sorry, we just need to go and check our coats,” Darcy laughed, her voice pitched higher than normal. Shit shit _shit._ As soon as the words left her mouth she cringed inwardly, as everyone’s eyes were drawn to her and Bucky’s distinct lack of coats.  
“Check _on_ our coats, I meant,” Darcy laughed, panic rising as the source of her anxiety started heading their way. “I think I left… pockets.”  
Darcy mumbled the last part as she dragged Bucky away from her slightly bemused relatives and into the safety of a substantial closet, where she knew nobody from her family would barge in. The room was entirely devoid of coats, jackets or hats. _Obviously_ , Darcy chided herself. _It’s June. In Georgia_.

Darcy leaned back against the door and put her head in her hands. She could feel Bucky’s concerned eyes on her.  
“Is everything okay?” he asked gently, voice low. “I can go if you don’t want to do this.”  
“No!” Darcy squeaked, head snapping up to meet his gaze. “No, I’m fine! Please stay. It’s just I saw my Aunt Jan and I sorta freaked out because we haven’t kissed.”  
Bucky frowned, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Darcy interrupted.  
“You and me, moron, before you get your sark on.”  
“Okay,” the corner of Bucky’s mouth quirked up. “And why does this relate to Aunt Jan?”

Darcy went back to cradling her head.  
“She watched some stupid late night special years back and ever since she’s been _obsessed_ with the truth or power or something of love being shown in a kiss. So she’ll make us kiss in front of her and it’ll be super awkward if we don’t and even worse if it’s clearly our first kiss and I’m trying to figure out how we can avoid her all weekend and… what are you doing?”

Darcy only realised that Bucky had gotten so close when he gently took her wrists in his hands and moved them away from her now slightly frazzled hair.

“I was going to kiss you,” Bucky said simply.  
Darcy blanched.  
“You what?”  
“So when we inevitably meet Aunt Jan - who has already seen you here with me, by the way – it won’t be an awkward first kiss.”

Darcy melted.  
“Buck,” she croaked. “That is the sweetest offer, of course that would be ideal but… you don’t have to do this. You’ve put up with so much, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to…”  
“Who says I don’t want to kiss you, doll?” Bucky asked, getting impossibly closer.  
“Um,” Darcy squeaked, but couldn’t come up with an answer before Bucky’s mouth was on hers.

Before she could react, he had moved away. Darcy stared into his eyes, inches from her own, for a few long seconds. Oh, what was the point in stopping there? Darcy leaned up and planted her lips on his. The opportunity for another few seconds lost in the wonderful man before her was worth the red face she’d have when he inevitably rejected her. However, Bucky did not do as expected. He kissed her back with renewed vigour, pushing Darcy’s worries of being rebuffed out of the window.

Immediately she relaxed, reaching up and wrapping her arms around Bucky’s neck. His hands drifted to her waist and pulled her flush against him as he kissed her, long and slow, his lips burning against her own. When Darcy let out a (completely involuntary) sigh, Bucky’s hands tightened on her waist and he made a low sound in his throat which, under normal circumstances, would have finished Darcy off but in their current situation it made her acutely aware of her entire family just the other side of the door.

“Buck-” Darcy attempted to say, but was drawn back into the kiss by Bucky’s hungry mouth. She melted against him for a few more seconds before remembering why she tried to stop before.  
“Bucky,” she tried again, reluctantly pushing him away. This time it worked and he moved back, still keeping his hands on her waist.  
 _Oh hell_.  
Darcy was faced with the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen – a swollen lipped Bucky Barnes with messy hair and a dark look in his eyes. She realised her hands were gripping the lapels of his suit jacket and let go hurriedly.  
“I, uh…” Darcy was struggling to think coherently. “People will be wondering where we went.”  
“Let them,” Bucky growled, and for a moment Darcy was sorely tempted to jump the man there and then.

_No Lewis!_

Darcy took a deep breath.  
“We can’t, dinner will be any minute,” she said, trying to hide her own disappointment as Bucky stepped back and sighed.  
“Alright, boss,” he said after a long moment. “Let’s do this.”  
He moved to open the door but Darcy smacked a hand on it before he could reach the handle.  
“We can’t look like this!” Darcy gestured to his mussed suit and hair and then to herself, as she probably looked downright debauched.

“You’re right,” he nodded. Darcy was expecting him to fix his own hair, but he surprised her yet again. Bucky reached out gentle hands and smoothed her hair as much as possible, folding stray strands back into her twisted up do and tucking any flyaway hair behind her ears. Darcy almost fainted when he wiped her smudged lipstick from the corner of her mouth with one thumb. _Christ, woman, pull yourself together._

He stepped back to admire his work, so Darcy thought it only decent to return the superlatively unfair deed. She stepped forward, into his personal space and fixed his jacket, spending far too long pressing his lapels down – deliberately, of course. Darcy stretched up, aiming for his hair when he gently caught her hands in his. When she met his eyes, they flashed.  
“Careful, Darce,” Bucky said, his voice low. “We’ll miss dinner if you do that.”  
Darcy felt a thrill. _She_ did that to him. Nice one, girl power, reducing the Winter Soldier to putty in her hands.

Nobody needed to mention how wobbly her own knees were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHAHA I HATE MYSELF  
> Just watch me force these two idiots to fall in love, just WATCH ME.


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seven! (It's actually the law in the UK to read that in Len Goodman's voice)  
> It's a day late but I've got no excuses.  
> Enjoy!

The dinner was surprisingly easy, especially considering their earlier shenanigans which, needless to say, they both seemed to be pretending hadn’t happened. Darcy didn’t get bombarded with questions, managed to completely avoid Aunt Jan and other gossipy relatives and, for once, the portions were actually half decent. Well, unless you had super-soldier formula racing in your veins. As Bucky’s scraped-clean dessert dish was removed from the table, he stared wistfully after it. Darcy nudged his knee where it rested against hers, causing his attention to come back to her.

“What?” he whispered, peering around quite unsubtly. “Who’s coming now?”  
“Save that panic for later, Bucko,” Darcy rolled her eyes. “Wanna go steal leftovers?”  
Bucky’s eyes lit up and he grinned gleefully.  
“You are an actual five year old,” Darcy snorted as she pushed back from the table. “Come on, let’s find a cute server for you to charm.”

“What, no kitchen B & E?” Bucky murmured into her ear as they crossed the room. As Darcy turned to throw an exasperated look over her shoulder at him, her face fell.  
“Code White,” she muttered. “We’re on.”  
Bucky reached an arm out and gave Darcy’s hand a squeeze, before plastering on the fakest smile Darcy had ever seen. Darcy failed to hold in the giggle that worked its way from her chest, causing Bucky’s smile to become genuine.

_Oh, this man._

Giving her a reassuring nod, Bucky’s game face fell into place and Darcy released the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.

“So, dear cousin,” came a simpering voice. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”  
Darcy peeked out from behind Bucky’s broad shoulders and gritted her teeth in what she hoped resembled a smile.

“Congratulations Steffie,” the brunette replied, ignoring her cousin’s question. “This is a beautiful dinner.”  
That wasn’t a lie. Darcy’s uncle had obviously shelled out a fuckton of money for the lavish evening, if the thousands of fresh white flowers and dozens of pristine centrepieces were any indication. The room smelled _amazing_. Darcy couldn’t wait to see what the _actual_ wedding looked like.

Steffie responded in kind, ignoring Darcy’s comments and instead turning to Bucky, who had, up until this moment, been attempting to blend into the background. He was unsuccessful, probably for the first time in years. Steffie’s uncanny ability to sniff out people who were trying to hide would be incredibly helpful when searching for bad guys, Darcy mused.

_Shit. Focus, Lewis._

Darcy zoned back in as Bucky’s arm wrapped around her waist. He stuck a hand out to Steffie, who took it delicately.  
“Bucky Barnes,” he told the disbelieving woman. “The boyfriend.”  
“It’s a lot of B’s,” Darcy interjected, earning a laugh smothered by a cough from Bucky and a raised eyebrow from Steffie.  
“Fascinating,” Steffie drawled at her cousin before turning back to her prey. Darcy tried not to mentally call the bride a bitch on her wedding weekend, but it was incredibly difficult.  
“So, Bucky,” Steffie asked, with faux innocence in her voice. “What is it that you do?”

Bucky blinked.

“Uh,” he faltered momentarily, but not for long. He looked down at Darcy with a glint in his eye, and she tried to convey her approval of whatever he was about to say through telepathy alone. He cleared his throat and looked back up at the waiting bride.  
“Used to do some seasonal work,” Bucky shrugged nonchalantly. “Didn’t enjoy it, really. Bit cold.”

Darcy lost it.

Bucky beamed at her as she cackled. Steffie, on the other hand, looked annoyed to be excluded from the joke. As Darcy pulled herself together, tears of laughter in her eyes, he continued.  
“I’m currently training to avenge… stuff.”

Steffie perked up at that, even as Darcy descended into giggles once more.  
“Is that so? So you’re part of the Avengers now?” the bride asked, eyes wide.  
Bucky shrugged.  
“Not really, no,” he answered truthfully, gently pulling Darcy closer to his side. “Not as much as Darce.”  
Darcy choked on a laugh, looking as surprised as her cousin. Unperturbed by their shock, Bucky continued cheerfully.  
“She’s the glue that holds everyone together,” he grinned down at her mischievously.  
_Oh, you sassy little shit,_ Darcy thought.

Darcy leaned up and, under the pretence of planting a kiss on Bucky’s cheek, whispered in his ear.  
“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?”  
Bucky just winked in return.

Steffie cleared her throat, the lack of attention clearly grating on her.

“Is that so? From what Darcy told us she’s not doing much more than an intern,” Steffie smiled prettily, one immaculate eyebrow raised at her cousin in challenge. Darcy bristled, and made to step forward but Bucky’s arm tightened around her and she was stopped in her tracks. She glanced quickly up at him as he eased his grip on her. He was still smiling but it was even more fake than before.

“Well, a lot of Darcy’s work is need-to-know, so obviously you understand that she wouldn’t have been able to tell you much,” Bucky drawled. “Or she thought it would be too complex for you.”

Darcy had to resist the ‘ _ooooh BURN’_ that was forming on her lips, instead taking pleasure from the pleasant shade of rage that burned on Steffie’s cheeks. Obviously searching for more ammunition, Steffie scanned around the room, before noticing a passing group and hauling the unsuspecting groom over to her side.

“Well, Bucky, it’s good to hear Darcy’s job is steady. Douglas here just got a huge promotion, we’re all so proud of his hard work,” Steffie simpered icily, eyes locked with Bucky’s in challenge. Darcy glanced between the two, feeling like she could really do with some popcorn. Douglas, who hadn’t even been properly introduced to anyone, just stood there, as if used to this kind of occurrence.

Bucky’s eyes narrowed.

“Congratulations, man,” he said to Douglas. The man just nodded and raised his glass in acknowledgement. _Wow,_ Darcy thought. _Not a chatty fellow.  
_Bucky continued.

“It must be quite relaxing working in a normal office hierarchy, with a manager to tell you what to do,” he said, faux thoughtfully, words once again directed at the bride. “You can’t actually get any more senior than Darcy at the tower. She bosses Stark around. And his name used to be on the building.”  
Steffie just pursed her lips which, if Bucky’s arm tightening around Darcy’s waist was any indication, he found very annoying.

“One time, Darcy had a day off and the lab actually exploded,” Bucky almost spat.

Steffie smirked.  
_Oh shit._ Darcy realised. _Bucky was about to lose_.

“Must be great to have days off,” Bridezilla replied. “Douglas has worked 365 days a year since I’ve met him.”

“Yeah I wonder why,” Darcy muttered under her breath. Steffie narrowed her eyes. _Shit_. _Escape._ Darcy scanned the general vicinity, which was sadly full of debutante clones and Steffie’s immediate family, until her eyes landed on a complete stranger with a headset. That would have to do.

“Derek!” she crowed delightedly, waving with one hand and tugging Bucky’s arm with the other. “I am _so_ sorry Steffie, Douglas, but I have just seen a really old friend of mine. Come on Buck, I’ll introduce you.”

Bucky allowed himself to be lead away, bemused, leaving a very disgruntled bride and a long-suffering groom in their wake. Darcy marched up to the man in the headset – she had to maintain her cover – and greeted him jovially.

“Hey, guy I’ve never met. You look like you’ve been employed by my cousin? I’m trying to get away from her and I said I knew you as an excuse to leave the conversation.”  
Darcy could see he was a kindred spirit – the harried look in his eyes was a clear signal he’d been subjected to the bride at some point.  
“Would you mind just giving me a quick hug to keep up appearances?” Darcy asked, flashing a hopeful grin. Bucky snorted beside her – the woman could persuade anyone to do anything.

The stranger obliged, and shook hands with Bucky when she introduced him (“This doesn’t really matter to you at all, but she’s still watching, so this is Bucky!”). As she thanked him profusely, a thought occurred to her.  
“Does that headset mean you have the power to contact the caterer?”


	8. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eight.  
> Why not, eh?

By midnight, the party had mostly dispersed. Darcy and Bucky were two of the last people to be waiting at the single elevator. Bucky had suggested they take the stairs. Darcy had suggested that he was an imbecile, thus they were waiting for the elevator. Bucky’s arms were laden with beautifully wrapped leftovers and freshly prepared snacks that the star-struck caterer had been providing throughout the evening. As it had turned out, Headset Stranger (whose name was actually Stuart, not Derek) was one of the event managers assistants. He had contacted the event manager, who had escorted Darcy and Bucky back into the kitchen, where she had introduced them to the head caterer. As they had explained Bucky’s calorific requirements, it had transpired was a HUGE Captain America fan, which in turn meant he was a huge Bucky Barnes fan. He was not, however, a huge fan of the bride – meaning any excuse to subtly go behind her back was a bonus. The first extra dessert had shown up at Bucky’s elbow fifteen minutes later, and it was followed almost non-stop with various other goodies. In the end, Bucky had to sheepishly ask if he could take it to go in case he got hungry in the middle of the night. Darcy found the whole thing hilarious and was particularly pleased when a platter of bite sized cheesecake in a range of flavours showed up – especially considering cheesecake had not been on the menu that evening.

Finally, the ancient elevator rattled back down to where they waited and Darcy punched in the number 5. They were silent on the ascent but once they were in their room and Bucky had stowed his snacks in the mini fridge, he turned to Darcy with an awkward expression on his face. Darcy rolled her eyes.

“Bucky, this is the twenty-first century. You’re allowed to share a bed with a female friend,” she chided him gently. She watched his eyes flick towards the bed, then he looked down at the floor.

“That’s not…” he began, before pausing. “Well, thanks actually. That’s reassuring. But that’s not what I was gonna say.”  
Darcy frowned, concerned, but didn’t interrupt him. He seemed to gather his thoughts and started to move towards her but held back.  
“Look, Darce,” he started again, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “I’m sorry about earlier. In the closet. I shouldn’t’ve taken advantage of what was happening in the way that I did. I… I haven’t been in that situation for a long time and I got carried away. It was selfish and pig-headed and I shouldn’t have done it. I’m so sorry.”  
Bucky moved to sit on the edge of the bed and looked down at his hands.  
“You’re one of my best friends, doll, and I don’t want my punk-ass decisions to change what we have.”

Darcy sat down next to him, thoughtful.  
“Bucky, as far as I’m concerned what you did earlier was selfless, kind and brilliant. You snapped me out of a panic attack before it could even start, for one. And now we can face my crazy relatives properly tomorrow, pass the Aunt Jan test and skip on home into the sunset having annoyed Steffie beyond measure.”  
Bucky smiled softly at that.  
Darcy bumped his shoulder with hers. He didn’t flinch.  
“Besides, being ravished in a closet by a super-soldier was quite the experience,” she grinned at him.

Bucky nudged her back and gave her a proper, megawatt smile in return.  
“Maybe I should tell Stark to put that on the dating thing he’s gonna set me up with,” Bucky said as he stood up. “D’you want to use the bathroom first?”

After a few moments, Darcy nodded mechanically and made her way to the bathroom, brushing past Bucky and shutting the door behind her with a little more force than necessary. She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water, trying to get rid of the fog that had descended on her brain.  
 _Tony was setting Bucky up with a dating profile?!_  
 _WHAT THE FUCK?!_

She stared at her own reflection, trying to work out why her stomach had plummeted so hard when Bucky had so casually mentioned his future love life. He was one of her closest friends, and he definitely deserved to be happy, right? But Bucky didn’t need a _dating app_. He needed, like, a puppy or something. No way would one of the OG Howling Commandos survive the world of modern dating…  
But actually, when she thought about it, Darcy realised that she (along with several other interfering tower residents) had successfully helped him to adapt to 21st Century romance. He’d learned everything they could teach him about feminism, he knew how to text, he was pretty caught up on the pop culture he’d missed and he knew how Instagram worked… He was ready.

_But I’m not._

She was still pondering this as she peed, cleaned her teeth, changed into her pyjamas (the ones with Mjolnir on that Thor had bought her for Christmas a couple of years back) and went back out into the bedroom. Bucky didn’t seem to notice her silence, saying goodnight softly as he passed her and closed the door.

She climbed into the bed that suddenly seemed far too small for the both of them, despite her earlier reassurances, and stared at the ceiling as she listened to the man who had thrown her mind into turmoil move around the bathroom, humming to himself.

Still trying to fight through the chaos occurring inside her head, Darcy rolled on to her side and frowned at Bucky’s tuxedo, hanging in its garment bag beside her dress. She worked with the Scientists Three and she couldn’t even put a label on her own feelings. Sighing, she rolled back over just as Bucky opened the door. As she made eye contact, he gave her a crooked grin and it all just… made sense.

Darcy loved that smile. She loved that _man._

With this new revelation, Darcy flipped back on to her side and deliberately didn’t look at Bucky as he climbed in to the bed beside her and turned off the lights.

She was so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say, I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read what my little wintershock trash brain has cooked up thus far - thank you all SO much!!  
> Each and every one of you who has left kudos, written a comment or even smiled whilst reading has made my days infinitely brighter and I am so so grateful.  
> Love you all  
> xoxo


	9. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies, dear readers, hasn't life happened in the most intense and chaotic of ways this past week? Hope everyone is holding up, whatever your situation may be.  
> We will get through this, and I just hope a double update helps!  
> Chapter Ten will be up as soon as I finish writing this rambling - and slightly manic - note. No, my voice isn't going all high and squeaky, why do you ask?!?!?!

Darcy tossed and turned. Every time she started to fall asleep, she felt herself inch towards Bucky’s side of the bed and had to force herself away. Now that she knew how she felt, it was difficult to stay away from him.

After at least two hours of fretting and not allowing herself to sleep, Darcy was even more exhausted. She felt herself drifting off and had to shake herself from the deepest haze yet, springing away from Bucky as if scalded. This had the unfortunate side effect of waking him up too.

“Darce, what th’hell’re you doin’?” he mumbled, opening one eye and peering over in her direction. Darcy was flushed and glad it was dark so he couldn’t see her beet-red and panicked face.  
“I, uh, didn’t want to kick you in the night and startle you or something. Sorry I woke you, nothing to worry about,” Darcy stumbled through the words quickly.

He didn’t buy it, and reached out his left arm to find her with his eyes shut. She leaned away but the bed was only so big and he caught her hand in his.

“Darcy, c’mon. Have you even slept yet?” The concern in his voice was too much to handle and Darcy wanted to scream.

_NO! I haven’t slept because I love you so much I can’t bear it!_

Instead, she gave his hand a squeeze.  
“You don’t need to worry about me, Buck. I’m a grown up, ya know?”  
Despite the gloom she could tell he was smiling.  
“I’m a grown up too, doll and, as a grown up, I can tell you sleep is necessary. Now, come here,” he tugged on her hand gently. “You and I both know you’re a sleep cuddler.”

Darcy acquiesced easily ( _how could she not?_ ) and lay down with her head on his shoulder, allowing Bucky to wrap his metal arm around her. As his breathing slowed, Darcy found herself relaxing for the first time in hours. Almost unwittingly, she brought her arm up to rest on Bucky’s chest and he gave a little snort of amusement.

“Told you so,” he murmured.

Darcy punched him in the sternum, but was smiling as she finally fell asleep.

**

Darcy woke earlier than she would have liked. Soft light was just filtering around the blinds, giving the room a hazy glow. Darcy frowned. Stupid romantic sun. She reached automatically for her phone but was stopped short by the solid metal arm locking her against the man gently snoring beside her. Darcy’s heart skipped before she remembered they were _friends_. Nothing more. Gingerly, she extricated herself and grabbed her phone off the nightstand as she headed to the bathroom. After she’d peed and washed her face, Darcy sat on the handy (read: totally impractical) chaise in the corner of the room and sent a text to Nat, the only Avenger guaranteed to be both awake at this time _and_ in the know.

_Since when is Tony setting a dating profile up for Bucky?????_

Natasha replied instantly.

_Since when do you care so much?_

_I don’t!!_ Darcy protested, glad the Russian wasn’t there to fix her with one of her trademark knowing looks.  
  
 _Obviously._

  
Motherfucker. How did she do that??

_Quit sMIRKING ROMANOVA. I just want to know!!_

Darcy watched anxiously as the typing bubble lingered for longer than usual as Natasha composed her reply.

_Since he asked him to._

Darcy stared down at the phone. Bucky _asked_? How did he-  
Another message arrived.

_You’ve Got Mail._

“Goddamn it,” Darcy said out loud. Nat, ever the mind reader, had predicted she would wonder how Bucky even knew such things existed. Darcy had, of course, forgotten Bucky’s endless questions about dating in the modern(ish) world during the Nora Ephron chapter of the Top 100. Nat had reminded her that it was Darcy’s own stupid fault that Bucky even knew what a dating profile _was_.

“Darce?” Bucky’s voice came from the other side of the bathroom door, causing Darcy to have a mild heart attack. “You okay?”  
Darcy mouthed profanities at herself in the mirror.  
“Uh, yeah!” she called back, hoping she sounded convincing. “Just dropped a contact lens!”  
“Alright, doll,” he replied. “Just let me know when you’re ready and want to talk strategy for today.”  
Darcy called back vague agreements and made to leave the bathroom, but paused. Now she had to put her contact lenses in after all. Goddamn shitty excuses.


	10. Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops sorry, got distracted and added in about 3 new paragraphs so I could split this up better. So, I wrote part of this in about 20 minutes just now, sorry for any mistakes! I'll try and edit this tomorrow when I'm less tired (but let's be real, I probably won't because of who I am as a person).

They had already decided to keep it basic. Darcy’s parents already knew about the ruse (Darcy had insisted upon this, with Bucky in total agreement – one should never lie to one’s mother), but her brothers did not.

“I don’t think any of them would actually _care…_ but Eddie’s a blabbermouth when he’s drunk,” she had explained. “And Henry isn’t much better, arguably he’s actually _worse_ when he’s sober. Will’s super smart, so wouldn’t tell everyone straight out but would use the power of knowing the secret for some form of blackmail.”   
Bucky had looked so taken aback that Darcy had had to laugh.  
“He’s a really sweet kid, I promise. He’s just a genius in a small town, he needs ways to occupy himself. Apparently being the overlord of a labyrinth of gossip is his new thing, according to Mom.”

This, of course, had all been determined _before_ Darcy had gone and fucked it all up by falling in love with her co-conspirator. She could barely sit still as Bucky asked gentle questions about her family, making sure he had all the details right. All she could think about was having to be near him all day, hold his hand, dance with him, _kiss_ him.  
Bucky’s stupid concerned face was not helping the situation. Every time he reached over to see if she was okay or to try and reassure her that they could pull it all off she couldn’t help but flinch.

“Darcy, please tell me what’s wrong,” Bucky gave her a pleading look after fifteen of the most awkward minutes of her life. “One word and I’m gone, we don’t have to do this.”  
“No!” Darcy blurted out, horrified at the thought of him leaving, but simultaneously wishing she was a thousand miles away. _Feelings are HARD, man._ “No. I’m just nervous. Also, weddings are impossibly dull so maybe I’m just twitchy at the thought of sitting through a super snobby one?”

Bucky smiled, but his eyes were still full of concern.  
“Okay, doll. As we’re up, let’s go get breakfast. I believe our friends in the kitchen promised there would be pancakes.”

**

An exorbitant number of pancakes later, they were back in the room, waiting for Darcy’s parents and brothers to arrive. Darcy sought refuge in the bathroom, under the pretence of getting ready, but really just sat on the bloody chaise longue (which was really growing on her) and went on her phone for twenty minutes. When Bucky knocked softly and asked how she was doing, Darcy realised she should probably start that process for real. She quickly donned the dress Natasha had helped her choose, pinned her curls up on one side and applied her standard ‘fancy event’ make up look, which consisted of a cat eye and red lipstick. Darcy stared at her own reflection, trying to summon up the courage to face Bucky again. It didn’t really work, but she was a grown ass woman. She just had to get on with it.

Wrenching open the bathroom door, hoping that if she faked enough confidence then she would start to feel it, Darcy twirled into the room.  
“What do you think?” she enquired of Bucky, who was standing in the corner buttoning up his shirt, as she completed her entrance.  
When she finally, _finally_ made eye contact, Bucky’s mouth hung open slightly, and he was staring at her with such intensity that Darcy felt her whole body grow hot. _Well, you did just pirouette into the room_ , she chided herself. _Probably confused the living hell out of the man._

“Darcy,” Bucky said, his voice slightly strangled. “You look…” He shook his head.  
“You’re the most beautiful dame I’ve ever seen.”  
Darcy stared back at him. They stood for a few long moments, neither saying a word. The silence grew heavy and Darcy, never one for staying quiet, filled the void with words to cover up her ongoing emotional turmoil.  
“You know we’re in the 21st century now, right? Calling a woman a dame, unless it’s a royal honour or something, hasn’t been socially acceptable for like, seventy years,” Darcy folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Bucky, being Bucky, grinned back at her.  
“Jeepers, ma’am. You’re one swell lady!” Bucky affected an even stronger Brooklyn accent.  
“Fuck off,” Darcy replied, trying and failing to tamp down the broad smile that was forming.  
“Gosh, I wouldn’t expect such language from such a ritzy lookin’ broad,” Bucky picked up his bow tie from the edge of the bed and walked towards the bathroom. Darcy shook her head at him, which only seemed to make his smile wider.  
“Seeya around, doll,” he winked as he closed the door. Darcy threw herself back onto the now empty bed and let out a sigh. It was going to be a _long_ day.


	11. Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eleven!  
> Hope you all enjoy!

To distract herself from analysing the way Bucky’s tux fit every part of his body to perfection, Darcy stood by the balcony, jumping every time a new car drove down towards the estate. Finally, just as they were almost running out of time to wait any longer, she let out a squeak.  
“They’re here!”  
Bucky joined her at the window to watch the minivan pull up and five people hop out. Darcy felt a hand on the small of her back.  
“Now or never, Darce,” the soldier said softly. “You can still call this off.”  
His reassuring tone flipped a switch inside Darcy. She was _Darcy Goddamn Lewis_. They were a _team._ She could do this.  
“Not on your life, Bucko,” she turned to face him and patted his cheek. “Let’s go fool my brothers.”

They made their way down to the lobby quickly, but as they got to the bottom of the stairwell Darcy’s earlier bravado wore off. She slowed the pace and clutched Bucky’s arm like he would fly away if she didn’t. He didn’t stop, but gently pulled her round the final corner with determination. As they went, Bucky looked up to see five people who were all undeniably Darcy’s immediate relations.

A chorus of “Darcy!” met them as they approached the group, and she got drawn into hugs from everyone. Darcy noticed Bucky deliberately hung back to let the Lewises greet one another, and her heart clenched. She wanted him to be part of this so badly, yet he was positioning himself deliberately on the outskirts.  
_God this must be weird for him_ , Darcy thought. _He has nobody._

Everyone always commented on the strong genes in the Lewis family. Seeing them all, together, in person only made the resemblance more obvious. Darcy’s father and brothers all had the exact same dark hair, fair skin and easy smiles as her, but were tall and broad. Her mother was as short as - if not shorter than - Darcy with a freckled, sun beaten face and golden hair. But her eyes were the exact same shade of blue as Darcy’s, and when the two women smiled at each other it was like looking at night and day personified.  
Darcy watched Bucky out of the corner of her eye – he had a faraway look on his face and she wondered if he was having the same thought she had had earlier.  
Bucky was brought out of his reverie by a strong hand on his shoulder. He flinched at the unexpected contact – and Darcy noticed. She turned on her idiot brother with fire in her eyes.

“Eddie you dumb fuck, I told you not to do that!” she hissed, before whacking her brother in the stomach and focussing instead on Bucky. She searched his face for a sign he was okay, and was satisfied when he nodded almost imperceptibly. _Thank fuck for that.  
_Discreetly as she could, Darcy held out her pinky, and only when Bucky hooked his finger around hers did she turn back to her family. Eddie looked suitably chagrined, and didn’t say a word as Darcy introduced Bucky to her family.

“Bucky, this is my mom Cathy and my dad Joel, my little brother Will, big brother Henry… and you’ve met the idiot we like to call Eddie,” Darcy glared at her eldest brother.  
“Darcy Elizabeth, play nice,” Cathy chided her daughter gently. Reluctantly, Darcy stopped her glowering. “Bucky, it’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many wonderful stories.”

Bucky took the hand she offered with a big smile on his face.  
“It’s an honour, ma’am,” he reverted to polite 1940s boy when meeting mothers for the first time, apparently. “I didn’t know Darcy’s middle name was Elizabeth! That’s one cultural reference she didn’t have to teach me.”  
Cathy beamed.  
“I wrote my master’s thesis on the work of Jane Austen and when the children came along I couldn’t help but indulge my passion. Thankfully, Joel just let me do what I wanted,” she glanced adoringly at her husband and Darcy’s heart swelled. Her parents were so in love even after all these years. Bucky opened his mouth to say something but her mom waved her hand and continued talking. _Oh jeez. Long winded name origin story incoming._

“I know, I know… ‘why not Elizabeth as a first name?’ I was convinced my third baby was my last and I thought Darcy was going to be a boy. So she was going to be William John, but then when she turned out to be a girl I had to get Mr Darcy in somehow and my mother thought Fitz was just too much of a masculine name to give a girl, and that’s how we ended up with Darcy! Elizabeth though, that-”

“Alright thanks Mom,” Darcy interrupted as her brothers smirked. Looping her arm into her mother’s, Darcy steered her towards the doors to the ceremony. “We’d better head inside if we want there to be any seats left near the emergency exits.”  
Her dad lit up at her words and began regaling everyone with the ideal seating arrangements for this particular chair layout as they all moved along. Darcy shook her head. She knew that would work. As they walked down the hall (how was it full of floral arrangements that were totally different to the night before?), she noticed Eddie hang back. He fell into step beside Bucky and they began a low but serious conversation. She tried not to look too much, but each time she did, both men looked more and more relaxed. Good. She had thought they would get along. Eddie was a natural comedian and exuded confidence, but he was a sensitive, serious soul underneath it all. Bucky always seemed to gravitate towards those people – Darcy liked to imagine they reminded him of the parts of himself he had had to leave behind when he went off to war.

His hand found hers as they made their way down the aisle (Darcy categorically did not freak out at this, no sir, no _way_ ), and he bumped their elbows together deliberately.

“I like your ma,” Bucky whispered in her ear. “I’ve also realised why you never shut up.”  
Darcy elbowed him in the ribs – well, she would have had his reflexes not been so damn fast. Bucky grinned at her, mischief dancing across his face as she flipped him the bird.

“MOM, Darcy just made a rude gesture in a church!” Darcy heard her youngest sibling say, louder than was probably necessary, from further down the row the Lewis family were picking their way along. Her two older brothers snickered as Darcy tried (and failed) to reach across them to get to Will.

“We are not even in a church, butthead!” Darcy hissed, recoiling slightly at her mother’s pointed glare. “I swear to God, I thought you were the smart one!”  
Will’s smirk just got broader as he affected a loud gasp.  
“Mom she is _blaspheming_!”

Bucky started shaking with laughter beside her as Darcy’s mother rolled her eyes at her children.  
“Could you all at least pretend to be mature, just for an hour?” she whispered down the aisle, across the sniggers of her sons. “Look, what must Bucky be-”  
Cathy stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Bucky desperately trying to hold his laughter in. She sighed deeply.  
“Never mind, he’s one of you now.”

Darcy smacked at Bucky once more. This time, her hand connected and he let out a loud, indignant squawk. A few people turn to give him a glare, which made Darcy laugh, slightly smugly as they both slid down in their seats to avoid the irritated glances being sent their way.  
“What was that for?!” he asked, knowing full well what he had done. _The sassy bastard.  
_“You’re meant to be on my side, buddy,” Darcy narrowed her eyes at him, trying not to laugh. She waved a finger in his face. “You should always support the woman you love.”  
Bucky’s shit eating grin turned soft as he looked at her.  
“Yeah,” he said gently. “D-”

Darcy didn’t get to hear what he was going to say. A string quartet (that had somehow materialised without Darcy realising) suddenly began to play the Bridal Chorus. Heads whipped round and guests jumped to their feet as the doors at the rear of the room opened and a procession of small girls in frilly dresses began moving down the aisle, tossing flower petals at guests with unbridled glee. Following behind came the bride, arm in arm with a sandy haired, ruddy cheeked older man that Bucky guessed to be Cathy’s brother. Steffie looked, although Darcy was almost loathe to admit it, incredible.

“Am I allowed to say she looks nice? Or is that takin’ sides against you?” Bucky whispered, looking back at her over his shoulder.  
Darcy waved a hand to shush him as she continued to stare at her cousin. Bucky smirked and turned back to watch the procession but a few moments later, Darcy felt his hand knock against hers. Still mostly distracted by what was shaping up to be a beautiful wedding, Darcy momentarily forgot she was being awkward, took Bucky’s proffered hand and leaned into his shoulder as the Bride met her Groom at the altar. They remained touching as the congregation sat down once more, Bucky not once letting go of her hand. It was only when she felt his thumb absentmindedly stroking her wrist while the couple at the front of the room said their vows that Darcy truly knew she couldn’t go on like this much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muahaha sorry your suffering continues, my poor sweet Darcy. Not long left to go now though!


	12. Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO!  
> Sorry about late post, it was my birthday (woohoo, lockdown birthdays...) and I spent lots of time doing sweet FA and eating cake, so neglected posting for a few days.  
> The eagle eyed among you may have noticed that I changed the chapter count. PEOPLE, we are on the penultimate chapter now (mostly because I have written about 600 words of the epilogue and I hate them all, so that will likely be delayed - my bad).

After the ceremony, all the guests were ushered into a magnificent conservatory for drinks and canapes while the newlyweds had portraits taken. Darcy felt sick. She could feel the panic attack brewing – and so could Bucky. He steered her towards the edge of the room and tried to go through the steps that usually worked for Darcy. This time, however, his close proximity, gentle concern and promises that he wasn’t going anywhere were decidedly _not_ helping.

“I think I just need a break from this… this,” Darcy managed to choke out almost calmly. _Almost_ , being the operative word. With one final look into Bucky’s searching eyes, Darcy turned and fled the conservatory.

Without really noticing her surroundings, Darcy wound her way through the estates labyrinthine hallways until she finally found a patch of sunlight and a breeze. Bursting out onto what she later realised was a wrought iron balcony, Darcy sat down on the floor and breathed in lungfuls of fresh air until the tightness in her chest loosened and the rushing in her ears subsided. It was only then that she realised she was not alone.

As her tears stopped, her contact lenses having miraculously remained in her eyes, Darcy squinted at the blurry person at the other end of the balcony who was slowly coming in to focus. To her complete and utter surprise, Steffie stared back at her, looking equally miserable.

“Um,” Darcy began, not really knowing what she was planning to say next. “Sorry I crashed your balcony. Congratulations, by the way,” she added, remembering which event she was at fractionally too late.  
Steffie hadn’t seemed to notice Darcy’s etiquette faux-pas. She gave a small smile in lieu of a verbal reply, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Darcy frowned.  
“Steffie, are you okay?”

Steffie paused, Darcy’s question hanging in the air between the cousins, then looked down at her perfectly manicured hands.  
“Not really, actually,” came Steffie’s small reply.  
Darcy bristled.  
“Steffie, has Douglas-” she begain, but Steffie waved a hand to cut her off, sensing the rest of the question.

“No, no, he would never…” Steffie sighed, reaching to rub her eyes but many years of debutante training meant that she caught herself before smudging her mascara, and instead brushed a non-existent hair from her cheek instead. She composed herself. “Douglas just had to take a work call quickly, that’s all.”

Darcy blinked.

“But it’s your wedding day?”

At this, Steffie burst into tears. Without stopping to consider anything, Darcy hauled herself off the ground and wrapped her sobbing cousin in her arms. Steffie cried into her shoulder for a few minutes, as an extremely bewildered Darcy rubbed her arm and gave the occasional “there, there.”  
The sobs stemmed to a gentle sniffle, at which point the taller woman straightened up.

“I’m sorry, Darcy. I guess it would have been too much to hope that Douglas could take one day off to focus on us, without his job interrupting,” Steffie had a note of sadness in her voice as she dabbed her eyes with the corner of a tissue Darcy had pulled out of her bag. Steffie looked over at her cousin. “I wish, just once, he would look at me the way Bucky looks at you. Like you’re the only person in the world.”

Darcy let out a bark of laughter.  
“Trust me, Steffie, you don’t. It’s all an act,” she admitted. “I made up a boyfriend at your engagement party and then I asked Bucky to play that part. We’re just friends.” It physically pained her to say that last part out loud.

Steffie barely reacted.  
“Oh, I assumed you had made him up if I’m honest, Darcy. I even wondered if you might be pretending. Which was why I was so surprised when you showed up with a man who is, very clearly, completely in love with you,” she stated simply.  
“Um, thanks? I think?” Darcy was taken aback. “Wait, what are you saying?”  
“If I’m right, and I’m rarely wrong, Bucky Barnes loves you.”

Steffie sighed again as Darcy processed her words. _Bucky doesn’t love me,_ Darcy mentally admonished herself. _Steffie just doesn’t know him well enough. He's like this with all his friends. I think.  
_ Steffie played with the tissue in her hands and continued speaking, oblivious to Darcy’s inner protests.

“You always did have a way of making people like you,” Steffie gave a small laugh. “I was always so jealous!”

“Wait, what?” It was Darcy’s turn to laugh, incredulous. “ _You_ were jealous of _me_? I always thought you were this completely magical, beautiful fairy fucking princess and you were so much more graceful than me and I was just this embarrassing, clumsy scruffbag! I was jealous of you!”

“Are you kidding? I always wanted to be part of what you were doing, I just never had your bravery to jump right in. I was always worried you were going to get hurt, which I why I kept telling my mom what you got up to!”  
“And I thought you would think everything was too childish, which was why I never asked you to play. Jesus fucking Christ, have we been in a fight for more than two decades because of a mutual misunderstanding?”

Steffie smiled, for real this time.  
“Gosh, we are total knuckleheads.”

Darcy burst out laughing.  
“Fuckin’ knuckleheads! We would have made such a great girl gang. Can you imagine the pranks we would have pulled on everyone? And the revenge on people who broke our hearts?” Darcy’s eyes widened. “Talking of which… Where’s Douglas?”

Steffie pointed at the other door on to the balcony, not even bothering to question what Darcy was up to. _God_ , they were going to be scary good friends. Darcy marched into the room. Douglas turned around, phone against his ear, and looked very confused about the sudden intrusion. Darcy snatched the phone off him.

“Hi, Douglas’ work. Are you aware that today is his wedding day? No? Didn’t think so. If you don’t mind, he will be having the rest of the day off. Actually, scratch that, he’ll be having it off even if you do mind. Oh, really?” Darcy turned to raise an eyebrow at Douglas. “Two weeks? Lovely. You are a very nice boss person. Why thank you, but I am gainfully employed at Stark Industries. Yeah, Ms Potts does not take kindly to her staff being poached. Alright then, you’re a peach!”

Darcy hung up the phone, then promptly threw it out of the open door, where it sailed over the head of an amazed Steffie and landed, with a satisfying plop, in an ornamental pond. Douglas, who had not said a word since Darcy had barged in and nicked his phone, stared at her, mouth open.  
“I’m very lost,” he said at last. “What just happened?”

“You have just earned yourself a two week honeymoon,” Darcy grinned. “Boss lady sends her congratulations, and says they are looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back.”  
Douglas nodded.  
“Well… thank you?” He still looked baffled. “It is a very impressive gesture, although I’m still not sure on the provocation for it, or the reason you threw my phone off the balcony.”

“You have to go cold turkey on the work calls, Douglas,” Darcy shrugged. “Remove the temptation and hopefully remove the issue. I'll get Stark to send you a new one in a couple weeks. As for the first bit, I think you should ask your wife.”

Steffie had been standing in the doorway and approached when Darcy mentioned her. Darcy decided to make a swift exit and headed back towards the balcony. As she went past, Steffie gave her a fleeting, bone crushing hug.  
“Hey, you’re hugging the wrong person here, Stef,” Darcy protested, grinning. Steffie pulled away, but kept close enough that only Darcy could hear her next words.

“Remember, Darcy, I’m rarely wrong. Go talk to him,” she said, sincerely. Darcy sighed. She knew she had to at some point. Getting involved in Steffie’s relationship drama had been a welcome, and incredibly productive, distraction; sadly her part in the whole thing had come to an end.

“Likewise, dear cousin,” Darcy said, gesturing to Douglas, who had been incredibly patient but was now practically twitching to understand why his new wife’s (ex) nemesis of a cousin had launched his phone into a pond. The two women gave each other one last reassuring look before parting ways, each to have serious conversations with the men they loved.


	13. Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert apology about delay in posting here*
> 
> Last. One. Folks.

It didn’t take long for Darcy to find Bucky. The man was sitting at a table with her family, his back to her, but she could tell by the set of his shoulders he was at ease in their presence. As she walked closer he laughed loudly at something Will said, which made her little brother flush with pride. Darcy assumed her approach hadn’t been noticed, until Bucky blindly reached out a hand as she neared and caught her pinky. Darcy swallowed nervously, clutching his hand in both of hers. He finally turned around, saw the look on her face and stood up.

“Hey doll,” he murmured. “You good?”  
“Can we talk?” Darcy replied, equally softly. She saw a flash of something akin to panic in his searching eyes and her heart sank. _He knows_ , she thought, _and he doesn’t want me_.  
Bucky smiled.  
“Sure,” he said, leading her away from the prying ears of her family. Her parents were seemingly immersed in conversation, but Cathy’s eyes flicked over far too often for her to be actually listening to Joel’s words. Darcy’s brothers possessed no such desire for subtlety and were openly staring at the two of them, Eddie and Henry with protective frowns and Will with a look of unconcealed glee. Under usual circumstances, Darcy would have, at the very least, rolled her eyes at them all but in this moment nothing mattered except Bucky. He tugged her hand gently and she soon found herself in a quiet corner of the room next to a table laden with extra canapes. He let go of her hand and crossed his arms, saying nothing.

Darcy snorted.  
“Did you bring me over here so you could have a snack?” she gestured towards the hundreds of tiny, beautiful morsels that lay on elegant trays.  
“No, Darce,” Bucky said, his voice serious. “You wanted to talk to me?”  
“Oh, right, yeah… that,” Darcy gulped, palms suddenly sweaty. “Are you hot? I mean you’re _hot_ , but are you warm because I am like, _really_ warm. Like I might pass out any second and land headfirst in a bunch of shrimp and although I wouldn’t usually mind that so much it would be really fucking inappro-”  
“Darcy, stop,” Bucky interrupted her rambling. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“That’s the thing, Bucky. I can’t!” Darcy choked out, tears pricking her eyes and closing her throat. Pure adrenaline coursed through her veins, tamping down the tears and allowing her to continue.  
“I can’t fucking tell you anything because I’m so _fucking_ in love with you I can barely breathe when you look at me. And it makes it so much worse because you’re here with your stupid fucking kind words and beautiful voice always being so goddamn reassuring and you smell really good and you make me so happy but it’s all _fake_. And I can’t deal with that anymore!”  
Bucky’s expression didn’t change. Darcy barely paused to draw breath before more words poured out of her, words she had been holding in for longer than she had realised.

“You can’t _fix_ the problem because you _are_ the problem and I need you to stop pretending to be in love with me so I can try and stop being in love with you, even though I don’t want to but I _have_ to. Because Tony’s setting you up with online dating and that’s all my fault and I think if you actually go on a date and fall in love with someone I will have to quit my job and move to Alaska because I couldn’t bear seeing you with someone else.”  
Darcy felt her cheeks burning. And _still_ Bucky’s face didn’t give anything away.

“I need this whole charade to be over. I need you to stop pretending. I want you to be happy but I don’t want to move to fucking Alaska,” Darcy finished, head in her hands, deliberately not looking up at him. He hadn’t reacted to her declaration of love. Admittedly, it had been kind of hidden amongst a rather epic amount of word vomit, even by Darcy’s standards. She registered dampness on her fingertips and inspected them. Fucking great. Apparently some of those tears had escaped and her mascara now coated her hands and, she imagined, a fair amount of her face. She was such a fucking mess. Why would perfect, _gorgeous,_ amazing Bucky love someone who was this much of a human disaster? Steffie had been wrong. Of course he didn’t feel the same.

Before she could think of a way to run away without having to see anyone she knew (tricky, at a wedding for one of her relations, but not impossible), Darcy felt herself being drawn into a pair of strong arms. Darcy felt Bucky’s chin rest on her hair and she forced down the tears that were threatening to spill over again.  
This was it. She was being let down gently.

Basking in the moments of closeness she had left, Darcy felt Bucky’s chest rise and fall with a deep sigh, and listened to his heart beating solidly for a few seconds before he spoke, the sound a low rumble in her ears.

“I’m not a good actor, you know.”

Darcy froze, then finally lifted her head to meet his gaze. That look was in his eyes again, the one she couldn’t quite label. Jesus wept, what was he saying?  
“What the fuck does that mean?” was the only intelligible thing she could muster in response.  
Bucky smiled down at her and removed an arm from around her shoulders to brush some errant curls from her face.

“I can’t act, Darce. I haven’t been pretending to be in love with you, I couldn’t have done that, I’m not good enough.”  
He paused, looking thoughtful. Darcy didn’t dare breathe.  
“I’ve been in love with you since before you asked me to do this. I’ve loved you for such a long fuckin’ time, probably since the day we met and you asked me how I liked my coffee. Nothing about my arm or Hydra or anythin’. Just treated me like a person. I was grateful for that, and I’ve been nothing but grateful to have you in my life ever since that day. So whatever made you think I was pretending?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Darcy whispered, her voice hoarse.  
“I thought about it. I almost did, a couple times,” Bucky smiled his lopsided smile. “I wish I had. Coulda saved you a whole lotta heartache. And job stress, apparently.”

Darcy groaned.  
“Did I really just have a full on meltdown about moving to fucking Alaska? In the middle of a fucking wedding?” Darcy said this last part through her hands, which were again covering her face – although this time they were hiding a smile.

Bucky’s grin broadened.  
“I’ve gotta say, I didn’t ever imagine the first time we told each other how we felt would contain quite so much cursing.”

At this, Darcy looked up sharply, wiping the mascara from under her eyes.  
“Fuck. You _love_ me. And I love you,” she murmured, almost disbelieving. “We love each other.”  
Darcy emphasised this statement with a lot of finger pointing, much to Bucky’s amusement.

“Well ain’t that a turn up for the books,” he responded, voice dripping with sarcasm and fondness.  
Darcy smacked him in the chest.  
“Shut the fuck up, Barnes,” she warned, before leaning up and kissing him, for the second time in two days, but the first time filled with hope for their future. Bucky kissed her back fervently, the hand round her waist drawing her impossibly closer and the other finding its way into her hair. Darcy felt warmth bloom in her chest and, judging by the smile she could feel on Bucky’s lips, he was feeling just as happy as she was.

Neither of them noticed the bride and groom enter the room, looking positively radiant with happiness themselves. As the newlyweds made their way through the throng of congratulatory guests, the bride glanced over and saw her cousin entwined with the man she had said didn’t love her.

Steffie smiled. She was _never_ wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has read, left kudos and comments. BLOODY LOVE YOU ALL!  
> Seriously it means the world that anyone would want to read my little take on the best of all the tropes. Hope reading this has made you as happy as writing it made me.


End file.
